Sunday, July 5, 2015

URFAD: The Assassin

Here is a bonus class I am more unlikely to use than the ranger: the assassin. It has always been a class that sounds cool to me, but it has also always seemed to be a little misplaced in the campaign world. Still, as mentioned before, it’s too much fun not to tinker around with these things.
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Assassin Level Progression

Level

Title

XP

HD

Atk

1

—

—

—

—

2

—

—

—

—

3

Goon

4,000

3

+2

4

Thug

8,000

4

+2

5

Cutthroat

16,000

5

+3

6

Hatchet Man

32,000

6

+4

7

Slayer

64,000

7

+4

8

Executioner

120,000

8

+5

9

Assassin

240,000

8+1

+6

10

Master Assassin

360,000

8+2

+6

Human thieves that reach level three may opt to become assassins. Level progression, hit dice, and attack bonuses remain as per thieves. The +1 ability increases that thieves get at levels 4 and 7 are delayed to levels 5 and 9. Like thieves, assassins are limited to leather armor and they do not rely on shields, but they may wield any weapon without penalty. Assassins do not gain the ability to read languages or to cast spells from scrolls.

The prime requisites for assassins are Strength and Dexterity. An assassin with a score of 13 or greater in both Strength and Dexterity receives a 5% earned experience bonus. Assassins with a score of 16 or greater in Dexterity and 13 or greater in Strength receive a 10% earned experience bonus. They must have a minimum score of 9 in Strength, Intelligence, and Dexterity.

Assassins must be of neutral alignment and they may have no retainers or followers until level 10 when they may hire a number of thieves equal to their Charisma times three to train as assassins and become followers.

Upon reaching level 4, assassins strike silently from behind for three dice of damage. At level 7 this increases to four dice of damage, and at level 10 it becomes five dice of damage.

Fifth-level assassins become masters of disguise. They have a 4-in-6 chance of concealing their true identity. Chances may be improved (and not penalized) by Charisma, but this may be offset by the mark’s combined Intelligence and Wisdom (average the two to see if bonus or penalty applies). At level 7 this increases to a 5-in-6 chance, and at level 9 this increases to 11-in-12.

When a seventh-level or higher assassin connects with an arrow shot, the victim must save, minus the assassin’s level, or die. On a successful save the victim takes two dice of damage.